Stock regulator



Dec. 8, 1936.. w. P. Fl-:ENEY 2,063,595

' l STOCK REGULATOR Filed oct. 1o, 1955 Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNI-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE"- 8 Claims.

This invention relatesto stock regulators for paper manufacturing machines.

The various known devices for regulating the consistency and how` of stock are all based upon the sound -principle'that no more solids will pass through an opening of a given size if the stock is `thick than will pass through the same size opening if the stock is of relatively lesser consistency. If the pressure ofthe flowing stock 16 is maintained constant, the difficulty that arises is that when the stock becomes thick and less of it tends' to pass through the opening, the stock supply'being constant, the stock tends to build up and increase thepressure. This resultingl increase ofpressure causesmore of the thick stock topass throughA the opening to the paper machine and hence 4the regulator ceases to function as one andfthe desired consistency of stock Y isi not obtained. There have been two schools 2b of thought in connection with the maintenance of a stock ofpredetermined consistency as it is furnished to the` paper machine. One has been theuseof thispressure to operate a Water valve to control the consistency of the stock by adding 5 water to it. The other has been the use of this pressure to Voperate agate to relieve the pressure. In either event this general type of stock regulator makes `for control elements involving pressure responsive movable elements, the accu- 3() racy, sensitivity, reliability and durability of which are at best questionable.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a stock regulator requiring no moving parts, pressure responsive or otherwise with the ,35 exception of a manually operable delivery gate.

To this end it isl proposed to so predeterminedly design and construct inlet and overflow compartments and-a gate controlled opening to the paper y machine'that when` thewstock in the inlet com- 4'0" partmentbecomes thick and there is a tendency for increased pressure such a tendency is avoided as the stock is'free to llow unrestricted to the overflow" compartmentV and back to the source `of supply." The" mere design, relative size and 45 relationship of the compartments, in combination With the manually adjustable gate for varying the size of the delivery opening to the paper ma-f chine, constitutes the means for regulatingr'the l l Iiowandthe consistency of the stock. D The exact nature of my invention will be ap.- parent upon reference to the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments of my-invention being illustrated inthe 555,; accompanying drawing, in whh;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of my invention;

Figure 2 is-a view in section taken along line 2--2 of Figure 1; M

Figure 3 is a view in section taken'along line 5*' 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modifled form of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the form of my Y invention shown in Figures 1, 2and 3, the de- 16W vice consists of an outer container'l and an inner container 2"of lesser depth thanthe outer container and suitably secured to a'partition 3,` dividing the regulator into three compartments.` These compartments are the inlet, overilow and l5 delivery compartments, 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

The inlet compartment is open at the top and at one side adjacent the `partition 3 with an opening 8 through which stock is delivered into the delivery compartment 6; `'I'his openingfis 20 bounded by the ledge 9 and the lower edge 'of partition 3. Itis further restricted transversely by the tapering trough IIl of Awhich the ledge 9 is the bottom. The opening is valveV regulated by means of a gate valve II which is manually operated by a hand control I2 and a screw vshaft connecting the two.` The screw shaft has its, bearing in a support ,Illl xed to the partition 3.

As shown in Figure 3 thefvalve is slidable in guideways I5 and I6Y suitably secured to the 30 adjacent wall 2 of the inlet compartment and to the partition 3. The hand control elements I2 are fixed to a rotatablel collar I 2 in screw threaded relationship with shaft I3 and is supported on a bracket I6. Within the collar is, a tubular calibrated scale I1 provided with a slot I8 through which a pointer I9, attached to the shaft protrudes. The position of the pointer on the scale indicates the position of the gate and consequently the nature of the opening between4 40H* compartments 4 and 6. I y l The gate is shown to be wider than the opening but of considerably less dimensions vertically. The stock flows, under pump pressure, upwardly through inlet pipe 'l into the inlet compartment 4. 4'5 As long as the stock is of the desired consistency,

as set by the adjusted position of the gate, all the stock continues to flow into the delivery compartment, as illustrated, and out through the delivery pipe 20 to the paper machine.

When, however, the stock becomes thicker than that desired, the now being restricted by the ta-y pering trough Ill and the valve controlled opening 8, the tendency of the ilow of stock is to take theA path of "least resistance, which in this case" is over the upper edges of the compartment 4. As far as the two sides and the rear end of this compartment are concerned there is no restriction to an overflow and to aid such overow the upper edges are bevelled outwardly as shown at 2l. As explained previously, this outer compartment 5 is considerably larger than the inlet compartment 4. The stock flowing over the edges of compartment 4 into compartment 5 passes out the inlet pipe 22 and back into the source of supply to again be pumped into the inlet compartment.

There is a slight increase in pressure when this overow into the overow compartment ccurs as the volume of thick stock under such conditions will be deeper than if it were thin. This increase in pressure is negligible and is compensated for by the construction of the gate and the tapering trough. In other words, the resist.-` ance to overflow over the edges of the inlet compartment is negligible when compared to that offered by the narrow gate. The tapering trough oilers slightly more resistance to flow of thick stock than it does to thin stock.

Thus by the above described arrangement the additional pressure caused by the ow of thick stock under pressure is automatically compensated for and hence only the stock of desired consistency passes through the gate and into the paper machine, This compensation of pressure and the regulation of iiow of stock through the gate and into the overflow or return is automatically controlled without the necessity of any moving parts. Once the manually operable gate is set, the inherent design of the compartments, under a given pressure supply is automatically controlled. In this connection the scale acts as a means of reference for future adjustment of the gate for conditions corresponding to those under which the device has been successfully operated.

The device as above described has proven eminently satisfactory in actual use. However, in following the basic principle outlined, I am aware that certain deviations from the exact arrangement may be made with satisfactory results. For instance in Figure 4, I may build an outer box I and an inner box 23. I may also build a portion 3' with an outlet opening 8 into the outlet compartment 6, the opening being controlled by the gate II as described. In this case the outer compartment 4 constitutes the inlet compartment and is fed with stock under pump pressure through a pipe l. As the stock becomes too thick and due to the relatively restricted size of the opening 8 the pressure tends to increase, this pressure is relieved as the stock overows over the bevelled edges 2| of the box 23 into the inner or overflow compartment 5'. From here the stock ows out through pipe 22 back into the source of supply from which it is again pumped through inlet pipe 1.

In either form of my device I prefer to have the upper extremity of the opening or gateway 8 approximately on a level with the overflow from the inner box. In the conventional device the gate and gateway is usually either at or near the bottom of the box. This arrangement permits the use of a small gateway due to the pressure of the column of stock. However, it is due to depth of stock above it that a considerable variation in weight occurs. When this stock above the gate becomes very dense it becomes heavier and consequently the pressure on the gate is increased. As the stock becomes less dense it becomes less heavy and consequently the pressure on the gate is decreased. Inamuch as the top of my gateway is approximately level with the overflow, this cause of variation in pressure on the gate is eliminated. Furthermore, inasmuch as the changes in the size of the gateway occur at the bottom of the gateway, the top of the gateway does not change its position with respect to the position of the overflow.

I claim:

l. A device for regulating the flow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overflow compartment as the stock ows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve.

2. A device for regulating the flow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overflow compartment as the stock flows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment, said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve, whereby when said stock becomes of a consistency denser than a predetermined degree and pressure tends to increase and deliver more of such thick stock, such pressure is relieved as the stock follows the path of least resistance and flows from said inlet chamber through the relatively unrestricted passage into said overiiow chamber, the valve and the relation and dimensions of said chambers and passages constituting the sole means for regulating the flow and consistency of stock, under a given initial pressure, that is delivered to said machine.

3. A device for regulating the flow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably largerl and greater in depth, one ofv said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overflow compartment as the stock ows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment, said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve, the upper edges of said inner box being bevelled outwardly with respect to the direction of flow of stock from said inlet compartment to said overflow compartment over said edges of said inner box to aid in such flow and reduce said pressure.

4. A device for regulating the ilow and consistency of stock under initial pressure' to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, and the other constituting an overflow compartment as the stock flows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment, said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve, the upper edges of said inner box being bevelled outwardly with respect to the direction of flow of stock from said inlet compartment to said overflow compartment over said edges of said inner box to aid in such flow and reduce said pressure, whereby when said stock becomes of a consistency denser than a predetermined degree and pressure tends to increase and deliver more of such thick stock, such pressure is relieved as the stock follows the path of least resistance and flows from said inlet chamber through the relatively unrestricted passage into said overflow chamber, the valve and the relation and dimensions of said chambers and passages constituting' 4the sole means for regulating the iiow and consistency oi stock, under a given initial pressure, that is delivered to said machine.

5. A device for regulating the flow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overflow compartment as the stock iiows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment said passage being controlled as to. its size by an adjustable valve said restricted passage being so disposed that its upper extremity is approximately level with the upper edges of said inner box.

6. A device for regulating the :dow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overflow compartment as the stock iiows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment, said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve, said restricted passage being so disposed that its upper extremity is approximately level with the upper edges of said inner box, said valve being of lesser height than said restricted passage and normally disposed so as to close the bottom portion of said restricted opening but movable upwardly to open said bottom portion.

7. A device for regulating the flow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer b oX, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overiiow compartment as the stock flows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment, said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve, the upper edges of said inner box being bevelled outwardly with respect to the direction of flow of stock from said inlet compartment to said overiiow compartment over said edges of said inner box to aid in such flow and reduce said pressure said restricted passage being so disposed that its upper extremity is approximately level with the upper edges of said inner box.

8. A device for regulating the flow and consistency of stock under initial pressure to a paper making machine, comprising an inner and outer box, the latter being appreciably larger and greater in depth, one of said boxes constituting an inlet compartment for stock under initial pressure, the other constituting an overflow cornpartment as the stock flows over the upper edges of said inner box, said outer box also being divided into a delivery compartment, a restricted passage leading from said inlet compartment to said delivery compartment, said passage being controlled as to its size by an adjustable valve, the upper edges of said inner box being bevelled outwardly with respect to the direction of ow or stock from said inlet compartment to said overflow compartment over said edges of said inner box to aid in such flow and reduce said pressure, said restricted passage being so` disposed that its upper extremity is approximately level with the upper edges of said inner box, said valve being normally disposed so as to close the bottom portion of said restricted opening but movable upwardly to open said bottom portion.

W'ILLIAM P. FEENEY. 

